Jason was an angry young man. There are many angry young men – and women – in the world today. Perhaps there always have been. The difference between Jason and most young men is that Jason was a rich, angry young man. With the financial ability to meet all his needs and his desires, we might wonder what it was that he was angry about?

Jason wasn’t rich because of his own efforts. He was born into a family that was rich because of one man – Jason’s grandfather, Red. Red was the true American dream fulfilled – he rose from a life of poverty to become one of the world’s wealthiest men. Through ideas that sprang from his imagination, Red built an empire that supported Jason, his parents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and countless others.

When Red died, his children and grandchildren circled around like hungry vultures, waiting to hear what Red had left them. None of them received what they thought they deserved. Red knew his heirs well and bequeathed them accordingly.

Except for Jason. Red knew his grandson’s soul. He knew that beneath the angry, bad boy exterior there was a young man in deep emotional pain. He knew Jason mourned the death of his father, Red’s son, and knew he blamed Red for that death. His legacy for Jason was a way out of the grief, anger and pain, if Jason would accept the challenge.

Jason accepted his grandfather’s challenge, reluctantly, and mostly out of curiosity. Gradually, just as Red had hoped, as Jason met each new challenge, his anger began to abate and he discovered the truth of his father’s death. At the same time, he discovered something within himself…a strength and resolve he didn’t know was there. He also discovered a desire for humanitarianism he didn’t know he had.

With each step of his grandfather’s challenge, Jason’s soul expanded. His perpetual anger dissolved; he became the man his grandfather knew was hidden beneath the anger and self-centered exterior.

Superficially, Jason’s anger was the result of his father’s death. At a deeper level, it was a soul hunger. Jason was drifting, with no goal other than the next party. His soul hungered for more.

All of us have soul hunger. It is the driver of everything we do, but most of us aren’t able to satisfy that hunger because we don’t understand – or know – what it is. We’re restless and discontented and try to resolve that restlessness, that discontentment, with material things, with houses, cars, clothes, the latest “toy” – however you define toy – with food, drugs, or a person.

Our soul’s are trying to tell us the way to go, trying to point us to our true self, but either we don’t listen or we don’t pay attention. Most of us can’t hear our souls, because we’re too busy pursuing the things we think will make us happy and our inner voice is too quiet to be heard above the noisy din with which we surround ourselves. We can’t get still enough to hear the voice that wants to guide us. That’s all it takes – get still and listen.

Your soul is calling. It knows the direction you need to go to be happy. It wants to point you to your true self. One caveat…your true self is not a thing, a career, a job. It is not a person. It is not your “soul mate”. Your True Self is what some call God, or Spirit. Another caveat…your True Self is not “out there” somewhere. It is right where you are, every minute.

hi Rich, just now seeing this. I don’t even know when you posted it. Sorry to be so slow. Thank you! We love living in Kearney! It’s wonderful being near our children and Kearney itself is a beautiful place with friendly people. We have yet to go out that someone doesn’t go out of their way to thank Rod for his service. For an 87 year old vet, that means a lot!